SUMNER, WA — A Sumner company is dealing with tens of countless numbers of dollars in fines immediately after a condition investigation suggests it flaunted COVID-19 safety protocols, killing 1 personnel.
The Washington Point out Department of Labor & Industries has cited Shining Ocean Inc., a Sumner-centered fish processing plant, a merged $56,000 for knowingly and fatally endangering its staff members. According to L&I, the employee’s death can be traced to a November 4, 2021 employees meeting, in which only three or 4 of 23 workforce attending wore a mask— irrespective of the point out laws which, at the time, necessary masks in perform options. The assembly induced 16 of the 23 workers to be infected with COVID-19, just one of whom was killed by the virus.
Notably, the company president was a person of the dozens of workforce who did not mask up, and overtly instructed L&I investigators that masking experienced not been enforced at the organization and that it was their “private alternative” no matter if to mask up or not.
“This happened when COVID rates and hospitalizations were large and the necessity to use masks was however in spot,” reported Craig Blackwood, assistant director of L&I. “Management got complacent about workplace basic safety, and it cost a employee his life.”
L&I claims the good is especially steep in element due to the fact Shining Ocean administration knew the pitfalls of COVID and knew the state’s regulation demanded them to put on masks, but flaunted the policies in any case and price tag an staff their life. L&I suggests Shining Ocean has also been marked down as a “extreme violator” and will be matter to greater scrutiny likely ahead to make guaranteed the corporation does not endanger any much more lives with its negligence.
Funds from the wonderful will go to the workers’ compensation supplemental pension fund, which supports personnel and people of those who have died on the career.
This posting at first appeared on the Bonney Lake-Sumner Patch
